


Things Change.

by LunarSinner



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-15 08:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1297618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarSinner/pseuds/LunarSinner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sandor watched as the boy ate his food, he glanced over to Sansa and wiped his mouth on a napkin, "Is he mine?" he whispered out slowly and softly. Sansa looked up at him, and slowly put down her sandwich. As she shook her head Sandor clenched his fists, he leaned back in the booth and took a deep breath trying to calm the storm of emotions washing through him. </p><p> </p><p>He had left her, he had convinced himself that she could do better than him and move on. He returned to her years later, and found out she had a son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

It had been four years since he last saw her, since he broke it off with her knowing she could do better. 

That's what he always told himself.

She could do better.

He wouldn't hold her back from her classes during her college years, he wouldn't have his anger effect her and hurt her. She already lost so much, he wanted her to move on and find someone who could give her everything, make her happy, and who could love her.

He could have loved her, he did love her, he still loved her.

But he wanted her to be happy, he convinced himself that she would never be happy with him. So he left her on a Sunday morning, he had also wanted to better himself, to try to calm the rage within himself. He wanted to stop drinking, he wanted to keep his promise to his little bird that he would never hurt her.

She didn't want him to leave her. She begged, she cried, she pleaded on her hands and knees for him not to leave her. It broke his heart knowing he was breaking hers. He was leaving to better himself and she slowly came to terms with that, she slowly came to terms that this good-bye was not forever. That he promised he would come back to her as a better man, that he would come back to her and never leave her again.

 

Now four years later, he was sitting across from her at a booth in the deli they used to meet at on Wednesdays in the afternoon. They had kept in touch over the years with phone calls, emails, texting, even sending packages to one another with small gifts. He had learned she had lost her older brother Robb in a car accident right after he left. She had learned that he had stopped drinking completely and has been sober for two years.

She hadn't changed much in the past four years, except for the fact that she now had a child sitting next to her. The young boy had to be around three years old from what Sandor could observe. The boy had dark curls that reached his shoulders and bright blue eyes. Sansa blushed and averted Sandor's gaze as the boy called her mommy.

Sandor had told her yesterday he was moving back into town for good, that he was staying. He had asked her if she had wanted to meet him here at this deli, she had cried over the phone and said she would meet him at the time he suggested. Sandor arrived early, and waited for his little bird to show. When he saw her walk in with the young boy, he felt his chest tighten.

He felt like he needed a drink when he found out it was Sansa's son.

They both said hello to one another, she placed the boy down in the booth and walked over to Sandor, he stood up and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. He felt her arms wrap around his neck. He took a deep breath, smelling her hair. He ran his fingers through her hair, kissing the top of her head, slowly rocking her side to side as her heard her cry softly into his chest.

"Mommy, no cry. No cry mommy!" The boy cried out as he jumped down from the booth and hugged Sansa's legs.

Sandor let go of Sansa and looked down at the boy, he slowly lowered himself onto his knees to sit down. Even on his knees he was towering over the toddler. Sansa let out a soft sniffle and the boy slowly let go of his mother's leg and walked closer to Sandor. The boy didn't cry at Sandor's face, he didn't show any fear as he stared right at the giant man who sat in front of him.

"Hi." The boy let out a giggle as he lifted his right arm up wiggling his fingers to wave at Sandor. Sansa let out a giggle watching her son's actions, Sandor smiled at the boy and gave him a nod, "Hello there, my name is Sandor." 

The boy walked closer to Sandor and lowered his voice, "I don't like it when mommy cries." 

"Aye, neither do I boy." Sandor let out a soft chuckle as he stood up once more to face Sansa. Her bottom lip was still quivering, but she had stopped crying. She leaned in to hug him once more, "I missed you so much." She whispered as her arms wraped around his waist. He pulled her closer with his right arm, softly rubbing her back.

He held back a comment that he wanted to make, but he knew it would only upset her more. He slowly guided her to sit down in the booth while he placed their orders at the front counter.

 

And here they are sitting in an awkward silence waiting for their food. Sandor felt like complete shit, he didn't know if the child was his, or if it was someone else's. He had told himself over and over that he wanted Sansa to move on to find someone better, but now face to face with a possibility that his little bird might have moved on, tore him apart. Sansa looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't figure out where to start. Her eyes would tear up and she would shake her head, then calm herself down.

"I have a new puppy." The boy said as he looked across the table at Sandor.

"A puppy? What's the dog's name?" Sandor asked while rubbing his hands together, thankful that the awkward silence was ended for the time being.

"Stinker." The boy said in a serious tone.

Sansa sighed as she cupped her face with her palm while shaking her head. Sandor raised his eyebrow and shook his head. "Why on Earth did you name a dog Stinker?"

"Cause his farts stink really, really bad." The boy nodded while raising his eyebrows, he started to swing his feet and giggle.

"My name is not Stinker though." The boy said while looking out the window watching the clouds go by. Sandor licked his lips, watching Sansa giggle at the boy. "Oh really? Could have fooled me." Sansa said while winking at the boy. He let out a giggle and shook his head. "No, no, no! My name is Eddard! Not Stinker!" The boy waved his hands in the air and then crossed them over his chest while blowing a raspberry.

Sansa sighed and looked back over to Sandor, and opened her mouth to speak, but the deli clerk served them their food before she could get a word out. Sandor had ordered the Italian combo for himself, a grilled cheese for Eddard, and a turkey bacon club for Sansa.

They began to eat, letting the silence sink in once more. Sandor watched as the boy ate his food. He looked over to Sansa and wiped his mouth on a napkin, "Is he mine?" he whispered out slowly and softly.

Sansa looked up at him, and slowly put down her sandwich. As she shook her head Sandor clenched his fists, he leaned back in the booth and took a deep breath trying to calm the storm of emotions washing through him. Sansa coughed and took a sip of the coke she had received with her sandwich.

"Let me explain before you get upset Sandor, I wanted to talk about this face to face." Sansa said in a light whisper. Sandor rubbed his hands over his face and nodded, he wanted to hear everything.

Sansa looked over to her son and then back to Sandor, "I haven't been with another man since you left Sandor. I told you I didn't want anyone else and I meant it. You have to please believe me on that." She took a deep breath and continued. "When Robb died, he was just recently married. His wife Jeyne had survived the accident but we found out she was with Robb's child." Sansa spoke softly and glanced over again to Eddard who was munching on his french fries.

Sandor leaned forward and looked at the young boy once more and then back at Sansa. He nodded for her to continue and she smiled softly back at him. "When Jeyne had the baby, she was.....She was very unstable, she didn't want the baby, she did not even want to see the baby. So I took it upon myself to adopt the baby and look after him. Arya and my mother help once in awhile, and he isn't too much trouble. He just reminds me so much of Robb sometimes." Sansa giggled.

Sandor smiled softly at his little bird. 

"He knows all about who his father was, and he knows that I'm not his real mother and that I adopted him. I don't think he understands it, but he still chose to call me his mother. He's kept me pretty busy since you've been gone Sandor." Sansa smiled as she licked her lips while running her fingers through Eddard's soft curly hair.

"He does sort of look like a mini-Robb, but with your mother's eyes." Sandor looked over to the boy who stopped eating when he noticed both adults were staring at him.

"What?" Eddard smiled as Sansa leaned over to kiss the top of his head.

"Nothing baby, just talking about things." Sansa said as she snatched a french fry from her son's plate. "Hey!" Eddard called out while watching his mother eat his fry. He let out a loud sigh as he raised his arms in the air, "What am I going to do with you?" He shook his head and started to pout.

Sandor watched the exchange with amusement. Sansa shook her head, "Arya has been teaching him sassy phrases to get under my skin." 

"Is it working?" Sandor asked while taking a sip of his own coke.

"Yes." Sansa groaned as her son stuck out his tounge and let out a giggle.

"No cursing yet? I'm surprised." He let out a deep chuckle as he watched Sansa clench her jaw.

"Oh I'd kill her. Don't get any ideas either, he mimics everything anyone says to him, please watch what you say." Sansa shook her head and bit her lip as her son let out a burp.

"What do you say Ned?" Sansa tapped her foot while watching her son.

He three year old shrugged, "I don't know.. You say S'cuse me, but Aunt Ary says better out then in..I think.." Eddard scratched his head, the boy had confusion written all over his face. Sandor couldn't help but laugh at the boys words and actions, he laughed harder when Sansa's face turned a bright shade of red from embarrassment.

"She's dead, she's so dead." Sansa kept saying to herself over and over, while her son watched her. He shook his own head, "You so silly mommy even Sando thinks so."

"Sando?" Sandor and Sansa both asked in unison.

Eddard nodded, "Yup, Sando the weird-o Aunt Ary says."

This time Sansa bursted out laughing as Sandor muttered out how he was going to kill the she-wolf. Sandor watched as Sansa held her sides from laughing so hard. Her bright eyes shined with happiness, she let out a sniffle and wiped away a few tears. He licked his lips and smiled at her laughter. He really missed her after all these years.

Oh yes things were different indeed, but, he thought to himself, it was good to be back.


	2. Sick.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandor is home alone with Eddard while Sansa is at work for the day. The only problem is that the both of them are sick with the flu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was intended to be more of a drabble, but I got too hooked into the whole Sandor/Eddard bonding while being sick. I hope you guys enjoy! ^_^

It had been a few weeks since Sandor had moved back into town, he had moved into Sansa's two bedroom house she rented.

Between Sansa going to work in the morning at a health clinic as a CNA, and then going to her night classes working towards becoming an LPN. She already discussed with Sandor that she wasn't stopping there, she wanted to become an RN. They both had talked about how Sandor would find a job, help with bills so she could work less and focus on her career.

Now that Sandor was living with her and little Eddard, he also became a babysitter when Eddard came down with the flu and couldn't go to daycare.

Sadly, Sandor had caught the flu from Eddard.

It was an average Monday, including the fact that there was nothing interesting for Sandor and Eddard to watch while they both sulked in the living room. Sandor tried his best to bond with Eddard, but it had been complicated. Not having the proper father figure of his own didn't help anything, and the fact that any time Sandor tried to get close to Sansa while Eddard was around....Eddard would pitch a fit, he was over protective of his mother and didn't understand the drastic change in his life. 

The change of him having to share his mother with a large man was very hard for the young boy to accept.

Letting out a soft sigh, Sandor decided to put on a children's show from Nick Junior, causing Eddard to look up at him and smile softly. Sandor had helped the boy change into clean pajamas in the morning, not wanting him to sit around all day in clothes he slept in. He helped the boy bring some of his stuffed dragons into the living room, so he could snuggle with them on the couch as Sandor washed Eddard's favorite blanket along with Sansa's and his very own blanket.

Sandor hated being sick, he was almost never sick.

He sat next to Eddard on the couch as the boy drank orange juice from his sippy cup. Sandor had his own glass of orange juice on the coffee table in front of him. He was wearing his own clean pajamas as well, Sandor looked down at the boy and frowned, they were wearing matching pajamas.

Eddard must have felt Sandor's stare and looked back at him, still taking small sips of his juice while hugging his green dragon.

Sandor was wearing a light grey tee shirt, with dark blue and dark green plaid pajama pants. Eddard was wearing a dark blue shirt and pants with dark green dinosaurs on them.

The boy stopped drinking and let out a loud cough, Sandor raised his eyebrows and slowly reached his arm around to pat and rub the boy's back. Eddard's coughing soon turned into gagging, Sandor quickly grabbed the boy and ran towards the bathroom.

They barely made it in time as Eddard wretched in the toilet, causing Sandor to feel ill. He closed his eyes and held his breath as he rubbed the crying boy's back softly.

"Icky." Eddrad cried out softly in between his sobs. Sandor nodded, and flushed the toilet for the boy. He walked over to the sink and grabbed a towel. Turning on the sink, he ran the towel under the warm water. Eddard walked over to Sandor, still crying softly.

"Stay still." Sandor grunted out as he rubbed the boy's face with the wet towel, washing off the mess. "We need to take your temperature, did your mother give you medicine this morning before she left?"

Eddard nodded, "Gross." He mummbled out while looking at the floor.

Sandor felt dizzy and had to steady himself while holding the counter top, he swallowed trying to fight back his own nausea. He was losing the battle, "Go sit on the couch Ned, I'll be out in a bit. If you feel like you're going to be sick again run back in here." 

Eddard nodded, he had stopped crying and walked slowly out of the bathroom with a frown on his face. Sandor quickly shut the door, and hurried to face the toilet heaving.

Oh how he really fucking hated being sick.

After he was finished, he washed his face off with a clean towel. He placed both dirty towels into the hamper and made his way back into the living room. Eddard had fallen asleep on the couch clutching his stuffed dragon. The boy was shivering in his sleep, Sandor frowned and went to check on the blankets, he noticed that the washing machine was finished, so he placed the boy's blanket in the dryer first knowing it would dry quicker by itself.

He made his way back into the living room, and leaned down to feel Eddard's forehead. It was still warm but not as hot as it was when he first became sick. Sansa had took the boy to the doctors over the weekend, and he was to be given medicine during the early morning and before he went to bed.

Sandor made his way into the kitchen, he had forgotten to take medicine himself during the morning. Growling he grabbed the bottle from the cabinet and opened it, he hated the smell of the cherry flavored shit. It wasn't even cherry flavored, it was shit flavored. He poured some into the plastic cup and took a swig, gulping it straight down like he would like if it was whiskey.

He gagged again at the foul taste, slamming the bottle on the counter. Eddard let out a soft cry at the sudden noise.

"Fuck." Sandor swore, forgetting that Eddard had been sleeping.

"Ohhh you said bad word!" Eddard whispered as he walked into the kitchen.

Sandor glared at the boy, Eddard just watched him.

He let out a deep growl and sighed, "Look if you don't tell your mother about what I just said, I'll take you out for ice cream or whatever you want once we're both better, agreed?"

Eddard frowned and looked at the ground.

"I don't like ice cream."

What kind of kid doesn't like ice cream? Sandor thought to himself as he shook his head.

"Well what do you like?"

Eddard shurgged.

"I dunno."

"What do you meant you don't know? You must like some things. Your mom likes lemon cakes, do you like cake?"

Eddard shook his head. "No like cakes Sando."

"Don't call me Sando."

"Okay Sando."

Sandor growled as he leaned against the counter, wiping his face with his hand.

"Do you like movies?"

Eddard looked up at the tall man, he looked deep in thought for a moment before he nodded.

"I want to see Frozen."

"Frozen?"

"Yeah!"

"Is it in theaters?"

"I dunno."

Eddard turned and walked back into the living room, Sandor sighed and shook his head. He followed the boy back into the living room and sat down next to him on the couch.

He reached for his phone and texted Sansa.

'Is the movie Frozen in theatres? Ned wants to see it.'

Placing the phone on his lap, he reached forward to grab his orange juice. He took a sip and cringed at the taste. Shit cherry flavor and orange juice didn't mix very well.

His phone vibrated, his swiped it to read Sansa's text.

'No it's on dvd, I haven't had a chance to pick it up yet...You might be able to order it through one of the channels though for like five bucks or something. It'll just be credited to our monthly bill.'

Sandor shurgged, it wouldn't hurt to try to see if it was availble.  
'Alright, I'll see if I can find it. See you later.'

He picked up the remote and started to go through the guide, Eddard let out a small cry in frustration at Sandor's actions. Being a sick toddler, and not getting enough sleep at night made him cranky at times.

"Hush, I'm trying to see if we can order Frozen." Sandor said softly as his eyes roamed through the titles of shows and movies.

Eddard looked up at Sandor, "Oh...Sorry." 

"It's alright Ned," Sandor mumbled out before he started coughing. Eddard scooted closer to Sandor, the small boy stood up slowly and leaned over and pat Sandor's back. Sandor shot the boy a look of surprise.

"Feel better?" Eddard mumbled out before he started to cough as well. Sandor sighed and placed the remote down. He picked the boy up with his one arm and brought him down into his lap. He rubbed the boy's back slowly until his coughing stopped. 

"Yes I feel better, thanks." Sandor sighed unsure of himself, "Do you feel better?"

Eddard shrugged, "Hate being sick." The boy mumbled before rubbing his face into Sandor's chest and sighing. Sandor froze at the sudden contact, but he still rubbed the boy's back. 

"I hate being sick too."

Eddard let out a small giggle.

Sandor felt his phone vibrate again, he checked Sansa's newest text.

'How are you both feeling?'

Sandor responded slowly while using one hand to hold his phone.

'I think we're okay now, we both got sick earlier.'

The dryer let out a buzz, making Eddard jump.

"Your blanket is done." Sandor mumbled as he tried to pick up Eddard to place him back onto the couch. But Eddard cried out softly and wrapped his arms around Sandor's neck. 

"No!" Eddard said softly while shaking his head, burrowing it in Sandor's neck. Sandor let out a soft sigh and stood up slowly, holding onto Eddard with one arm. He walked slowly to the dryer and opened it up. He tucked the boy's blanket under his arm that was holding the boy and opened up the washer. He placed Sansa's blankets into the dryer and started the machine.

Walking back into the living room, he slowly sat back down onto the couch. Eddard slowly let go of Sandor's neck and reached for his now warm blanket. Sandor let out a chuckle and helped cover the boy up with the blanket.

Eddard sat in Sandor's lap, curcled up in his favorite blanket while holding onto his dragon while Sandor grabbed the remote once more and searched for Frozen.

Sandor smirked as he found the movie, he ordered it, and raised the volume so they could both listen to it. He mentally groaned as he found out it was a Disney movie, and knowing Disney movies, there was going to be plenty of annoying songs.

Eddard let out a giggle as he watched the intro of the Movie, his small head bobbing to the music. Sandor chuckled and ran his hand through the boy's hair. He felt his forehead once more and noticed it was cooler than it was earlier.

"Good fever broke." Sandor mumbled as he stretched out his legs onto the couch to lay down. Eddard laid down on top of his chest, the blanket still covering him and barely covering Sandor's chest. The boy clutched the dragon to his own chest and began to suck his thumb as he watched the movie in amazement.

Sandor felt his eyes grow heavy, he wrapped his arm around the boy to make sure he wouldn't roll off his chest and onto the floor. He let out a yawn, and soon began to fall asleep.

/./././././././.

 

Sansa came home around five thirty that night, she had skipped her late night class because she was worried about her son and Sandor. Sandor hadn't responded back to any of her text messages the past few hours. She even tried calling his cell phone and the house phone but no one would answer.

She opened up the front door and heard music playing. She placed her purse onto the kitchen counter and made her way into the living room. She gasped at the sight, Eddard was laying down on Sandor's chest with the remote in his hand, rewinding a certain part of the movie Frozen, as Sandor's arm was draped around Eddard's small body.

Sandor was softly snoring, and Eddard looked over to his mother. 

"Shhhh! Sando sleepin Momma!" The boy whispered.

Sansa smilied softly and walked over to her two favorite boys.

She placed her hand over her son's head and felt that his skin was cool to the touch. She then placed her hand on Sandor's forehead and felt that it was still warm.

She frowned, "Come on Ned, time for bed. Let's leave Sandor alone to rest."

Eddard frowned but nodded, he wromed his way out of Sandor's hold and Sansa picked him up. She reached to grab Eddard's blanket but the boy cried out, shaking his head. "No Momma! Sando sick!" 

Sansa smiled softly, "Yes baby but this blanket doesn't fit him, I'll go see if I can find a bigger blanket for him." Eddard frowned again but gave up the fight. She picked up the blanket as Sandor shivered at the loss of warmth, he slowly opened up his eyes and saw Sansa standing over him with Eddard in her arms.

"Hey sleepy head." Sansa smiled.

"Hey." Sandor groaned as he sat up, he rubbed his eyes and shivered once more.

"Why don't you go lay down on our bed, I'll be there in a moment with a blanket." Sansa leaned over and kissed Sandor's head softly.

Sandor nodded and slowly stood up.

"Oh Momma! Sando said a bad word today!"

Sansa turned to glare at Sandor who was glaring at Eddard.

"Oh he did, did he?"

"I thought we agreed that if I ordered Frozen you wouldn't say anything Ned." Sandor growled, but smirked. 

"Yeah Momma, he said.. Sando said fuck!"

"SANDOR!" Sansa yelled.

"NED!" Sandor growled out.

It looks like Sandor was sleeping on the couch tonight, sick or not.


End file.
